The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-01-19
COMMUNION SERVICES.
THE AWAKENING CT RELIGIOUS FERvoR
AND CHRISTIAN ZEAL AMONG OUR
PEOPLE.
Isevout VyorShippers Listen to Able
Preachers Reasons why some
Wen do not go 10 Church --- A
Eavnan.s Lecture 70 the Clergy.


Wen do not go TO Church 800 A
Layman's Lecture 20 the Clergy.
During all of last week a most interesting
series of religious meetings nave heen hel,I
daily and nightly in the rre-bricrian church
at this place and on sunday morning WAS
celebrated the most comfortable sacrament
of our Lord and Savior. All m"mheiS ol
other churches who were present we've h1I"'-
tionatpIy invited to join the Presbyterian
bret ihrcli on that occasion in the celebration
of their Winter communion
Rev. y. NJ. Woods, of Co!nmn:a, prracm,iii
Friday and il is hog ed that his words nave
fallen in good ground, and that his lahorS inr
the salvation of souls may result III hiuch
good to Us, and that his success IN winning
SoulS 10 Il saving grace may add to his own
crown Of r"jOclnI. ,
Rrv. Mr.. jackson, the new preacher in the
Methodist church. has bc,'n cNirrtrIy klnu
i'm cultivating fratcrnal and christian rcla-
tionS with his brethren of the l'reSi yteriui
faith. He has throughout the week. most
ably ami most acc"ptrhly aided tne b''l"E"d
NJ, tor the Rev. J. l.. Wilson, y. d., who has
been quito indiSpnscd Tor II mnnth or more.
Some acccSSions to the church were rccnrd-
ed and il j. hc!ievel that the religions ierr"r
and chris tian zeal OF many orr people, were
awakened and increased. The members OF
the church themselves have taken great ana
unusual interest In the religious exercises oi
the week. Not only were the doors Of church
thrown open bnt the seats OF the building
were made free TO ali who might come. Each
ard every member Of the congregation was Il
committee Of one TO invite others 10 come
and enjoy the privileges of divine worShin.
and to participate with them in the Dcnriit>
and blessings which were conferred upon
mankind by the Saviour of the world.
Never in the history Of Ahbrviile 40 VIC
recollec to have known crratrre1iorlSioinl inter-
est the people in religious SERVICES anI as
consequence The church has been tliicI every
day with attentive listeners, some OF whom
seldom darken the door OF church.
MR.. JAcNSoS's SERMON or IRRESPONSIBLE
IrY FOR PERSONAL INFLUENCE"
without dcprecialing the efforts Of any 9TH
or preacher, we think Mr.. JackSon'S sermon
on saturday night was especially impreSSive
He took for his subject. The Power OF IN
amrle. or the Responsibility of Personal In
fluencn" The speaker believed that every
man eXertcd an influence; that mans IN
fiurucr was positive. not nrGailVc: that
mans influence must be either for G0oh or Tor
evil. that Il mans character was positive. ana
his Influence must be. like his character.
one WAY or the other. and the preacher en-.
forced his meaning In beautiful ana iorccini
Illustrations lie made IT quite clear mat
the responsibility Tor our influence IS Il seil-
ouS matter.
This was one Of these sermons which could
result only i'm good. His preaching was like
the power of the good old woman III the
story which he told. Her simple faith and
pure character were more effective than me
rhetoric and oratory OF the most ah.c and c!o
ouent theolo%ian. In like manner. was MI
JackSOn's pr, Scntation on this subject. In
plain and fOrcble words he impressed plain
and lndiSputahle fact in such a manner MS TO
awaken in every heart the latent irsilnct t'
strive for Il higher duty and nob'or manhoo,
He INDUCED in none of those empty sounds
and meaningless phrases which so often al
tend the discussion Of those abStruSe thro-
ries oc the plan of salvation about whlch
man knows so little. He did not attempt 10
reveal the secrets of Him whose ravilon Is
darkness. nor did he propose to eNnlain the
probable plan upon which The Almighty vii!
conduct BUSINESS on the day of Judgment;
He preached sermon which had good, and
only good in il, and which can have nc other
influence than for good.
SOME REASONS WHY OUR PEOPLE DO NOT GO
TO CHURCH..
In connection with this matter, Mr.. Jack
sons sermon had tho effect of directing atirn-
tlon to the fat that there is often on the part
of church. members AMI churcl-g0lng reupl"
only very slight effort 10 bring their neigh
borS to their houses OF worship, ana into the
fold of the church In ucarty every Town
there are many persons who seldom enter the
door of Il house of divine worship. In Abbo.
willie, for instance, there are many persons,
holh male and female. who seldom or never
neur q sermon. and rs seldom realize the pn-
rifying, the ecvating, and the beneficial effect
of even the very air which surrounds con-
greHation Of devout wOrShipperS.
If the religions world would devote to the
conversion of their npighhurs-our own men
and brethrrn-half the energies that nre vast.
Ell in futile attempt tn Christ!ani2e hrathen
lands, we would hear less OF the lack oi
growth in grace among our own people, and
we would have less OF sin and wickedncSs in
the world around ms.
The poor should he invited 10 our churches.
Their native mod"sty In shrinking from do
ing anything which seems like intrusion.
keeps many q man and many Il woman from
the pcwS OF our churches. We assert
this as n fact, and now we leave It
for Others 10 say. If there is not something OF
Il spirit OF cXrluSiven. IS among church men,
bcrs-n sort of feeling that they will separate
themselves from "the world, and, as a mat
ter OF course. very naturally conclude that
they are Il little better than those very out
casts whom our saviour c'me to save. View
ing the church merely rs Il social organiZa-
ti0n for the temporal Improvement OF It's
members in the ways OF polite S'"iety ana
gent"el manners. such u feeling may not he
anliss. but the Great Head Of the Church. said
he Game not to call the righteous. but sim
nerS TO re?pntance,' and we have authority
for saying that there is rejoicing over the re-
turn OF one wayWard sinner.
The outside world NAV conclude that those
excessively pious people, who manifest no
anxiety for the welfare of those who are out
side the pale of the church, have come TO the
conclusion that they claim an exc uSiVe care
from the supreme Ruler of the universe, ana
would seemingly monopOliSc all claims upon
the only Lord and Saviour to whom lhnS" on
the streets ami highways may look for heip.
"Other refuge have they nome"
In going to church has there not been some
thing OF the gathering up of The folds of our
garments, and q sort of air which would say
to those ON tn" street corners | am bette
than thou? How Often has ii been that stran-
gers and orphans among Us, have been left
unnoticcd and uncarcd for? Is it. not true
that hcnvath u rough exterior there often
beats heart us true ana as honest us any to
be found within purple veil or gildCd hal?
But no matter whether This he true or not,
every soul is Of priceless value, and If the
christian shall rescue on" of these aS Il brand
from the burning. II shall add to his crown
the brightest jewel that may bed~ck his
brow when ne receives the p;audit, wcli-Gonc,
gnOd and faithful servant.
We leave others to say if many of our pc0-
pie have ot been entirely neglected. or the
hundreds who remain away from church, ii
would not br easy to tell how many of them
have never been invited to attend our rei-
Tc IL